The objective of this research is to examine the nonlinear interaction of electromagnetic waves with biological membranes and to look at the effect of EM fields on the alignment of long chain molecules in the presence of cells. Theoretical calculations indicate that there should be a small dc current component associated with the application of microwave and RF fields which in turn would lead to an imbalance in the charged particle concentrations across the membrane. We should like to measure the size of this coefficient. The effect of electric fields on the orientation of long chain molecules can be observed with the use of birefringence and polarized light. We have previously observed this effect in plasma and we should like to extend it to cell cultures.